Manuel Blancafort grew up in a Catalonian family which owned a pianola rolls factory, a prime source of the composer’s musical education. In his early days, Blancafort often turned to song and traditional Catalan tunes, attracted by their miniature structure and popular nature, as can be seen in the 12 Cançons. Blancafort believed strongly in the importance of nationalism in music and was keen to follow in the footsteps of Albéniz, Granados and Falla, but always with a Catalan bias. Peces de joventut and Cançons de muntanya display the composer’s fundamentally romantic attitude, while Notes d’antany are steeped in an introspective atmosphere.